Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

parts (cf the first Butt Road box. Fig 90). The visible
and sometimes the moving parts such as the lockplate,
bolt, tumblers and key were of copper alloy,
while the internal parts such as the casing were of
iron. Larger locks fitted on doors would almost
certainly have been made of iron for greater strength.
Descriptions of the keys and locks used in the Roman
period can be found in Manning 1972, 181.
Lock-plates (Fig 135; 4128-4129)
4128 Fig 135 SF LWC 2917(C), J767. Make-up. Period 3. Most of a
lock-plate in six fragments. There is a seventh piece that
cannot befitted on though it clearly belongs to the plate. The
cut-out is an equi-armed L for a tumbler-lock slide key.
Circumscribed on the face of the plate is a circle which clips
the end of the horizontal arm and whose centre lies almost
in the middle of the vertical arm of the keyhole. This circle
seems to have been a guide for the cutting of the keyhole.
The holes in the lock-plate seem not to be rivet holes but
caused by corrosion, with the possible exception of the small
hole below the horizontal arm of the keyhole. Length
101.0 mm, width 108.5 mm, thickness varies from 1.0 to
2.0mm.
Fig 135 Lock-plate (1:2)
Lock-bolts (Fig 136; 4130-4141). For the use of
lock-bolts see tumbler-lock keys below. See also the
probable bolt from an iron barb-spring padlock. Fig
206, 4694.
4133 Fig 136 SF BKC 2241 (C), G173. Surface cleaning. Period 5c.
A complete bolt with one square and two triangular cutouts.
Length 61.5 mm.
4134 Fig 136 SF BKC 2304(C), G217. Burnt floor. Period 2. A
?complete bolt with one large rectangular perforation.
Length 57.5 mm.
4136 Fig 136 SF BKC 2561 (C), J39 F14. Cable trench. Modern. A
complete well-preserved lock-bolt with square, rectangular
and ovoid cut-outs. Length 80.0mm.
Lock-pins (Fig 137; 4142-4143)
4142 Fig 137 SF BKC 2266(C), G210. Cleaning top of burnt clay
floor. Period 2. Lock-pin with perforated rectangular section
shaft and head with concentric mouldings. Length 24.5 mm,
diameter of head 15.0 mm.
4143 Fig 137 SF BKC 5451, V779 L100. Metalling? Late Period 5.
A large lock-pin (or a handle?) with perforated rectangular
section shaft. The head is spindle-shaped with the upper
face sunk around a high central cone. Length 57.5 mm,
diameter of head 25.0mm.
Latch-lifter (Fig 138; 4144). A latch-lifter was a
suitably-shaped rod which was passed through a hole
in a door and used to raise a latch or slide a bolt (ibid).
There are possibly some examples of latch-lifters still
in use.
124
Fig 136 Lock-bolts (1:1)
4144 Fig 138 SF BKC 6021, H317 L13. Dump. Period 5b(end), and
possibly into 5c and 6. Iron. Bent? The point is missing. Total
surviving length 181.5mm.
Tumbler lock lift keys (Fig 139; 4145-4149). A lift
key, usually T- or L-shaped, was passed on its side
through a vertical keyhole, turned horizontally, and its
teeth engaged in holes in the lock-pins (or tumblers).
These it raised, freeing the bolt, which was then
pulled across by a cord (Wheeler 1930, 70). The pins
were held to the door or lock-plate by simple loops.
4145 Fig 139 SF LWC 476, B155 F73. Pit. 16th to 17th century.
Iron. T-shaped lift key, one bar of the T is missing. The top of
the shaft is square in section, narrowing to rectangular
towards the base. There is a suspension loop at the head of
the shaft. Length 100.0mm, probable width including the
missing part 28.0mm. Possibly post-Roman.
4148 Fig 139 SF BKC 6001, M22 L1. Gravel metalling. Period 6.
Anchor-shaped iron lift key, most of the shaft is missing, as
is the point of one of the teeth. Similar to Manning 1972, fig
68, 74. Surviving length 62.0mm, width 41.0mm.
4149 Fig 139 SF BUC 1725, H777 G628. Grave deposit. Period 2.
Iron corroded L-shaped lift-key with three teeth. In two